The Cursed Among Us

By: John Durgin

Narrated by: Joe Hempel

Length: 6 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

It has been 20 years since the serial killer known as The Black Heart Killer terrorized the town of Newport in 1979. Life mostly returned to normal after the killer was captured. All the townspeople have to do is stay out of the woods where the bodies were abandoned—their chests ripped open, and their hearts torn out....

Howie Burke and his friends decide rules are meant to be broken. That’s what 15-year-old kids do. On a beautiful fall day when they decide to go out in the woods to film a horror movie, they stumble across a mysterious grave. What they don’t know is that they are about to release an evil on the town unlike anything in their home-made movies. They will soon uncover the secrets of the Black Heart Killer, and what it truly means to be cursed.

©2022 John Durgin (P)2023 John Durgin

Critic reviews

“A remarkably malevolent debut that will leave you reaching for your talisman. Durgin takes all the right risks and proves nobody is safe in this impressive coming-of-age novel about a small town with a dark past.” (Joshua Marsella, author of Hunger For Death)

“The Cursed Among Us is a horror novel with its heart in the right place—ready to be ripped out! Containing surprising and sometimes stunning emotional depth, this homage to 90s B-movies and supernatural documentaries explores the agony of growing up and holding onto friendships when the world seems determined to rip everything you love apart.” (Joseph Sale, author of Dark Hilarity)

Nostalgic slasher book

This book is an enthralling story of a group of teenage boys uncovering an age old secret in their small town. The author does a spectacular job describing the terror and violence the boy’s experience. There were a few missed opportunities to expand on the back story of the coven but overall I loved it and I’m excited to read/listen to more of John’s books!

Such a fun story!

I really enjoyed my first book by John Durgin. It had a similar feel to stranger things, but a bit darker which I really grew to appreciate.

This story hit the ground running and never seemed to lose steam. I love how it was written, and can’t wait for a sequel!

Can’t wait for more

I’ve been wanting to read this book for awhile now and was lucky to receive an audio copy straight from the author. I gobbled it up! This book was so good!
I grew up in a small New England town in the 90s/early 2000s and the nostalgia really hit home. This book is like a classic King coming of age story- modernized. Easily my favorite read so far this year.
Only question— John, when can we get a movie??? I have a strong need!

Horror and Hempel!

Hey, you got your horror on my Hempel! No, you got Hempel in my Horror. Huh, tastes great! That's how this story feels. Kind of like Stand By Me meets Stranger Things. Ancient horrors hidden away accidentally awakened and who is it up to to stop it? This aint It. Not by a long shot. These kids aren't the losers club, and the monster isn't some stupid clown. This is a bit more serious. Can you dig it? Check it out. reat tale and narration.

Mediocre Story Telling

It seemed like the story had all the right ingredients but fell short of being really good. There was some tension building but everything felt rushed and the story telling was superficial. Several reviews referred to this as a coming of age story and while I would agree there are many other books that do a better job of describing the characters and teenage angst that go into a making a great coming of age story. This was an effort that didn’t quite make it. I’m glad I got it on sale and didn’t waste a credit.

enjoyable YA horror

3.5 enjoyable listen of a coming of age YA horror highlighting what teens usually deal with; school, teachers, parents, bullies, first loves and freshly risen demons.

The storyline was a little too teen forward for my preference and should be slated as a YA horror IMO, but I enjoyed the storytelling and I look forward to reading more from Durgin.

I was given the audiobook for a review. Thank you John!

A strong debut horror novel

I am in awe of John Durgin's debut novel. He already possesses the talent of an author who is worth keeping an eye on. The Cursed Among Us was a fun, gory, fast-paced, and atmospheric horror story. It zips along and, somehow, avoids a sloggy middle section that even seasoned, bestselling authors are guilty of. The teenage protagonists feel quite realistic. I knew boys like this growing up. Lastly, this novel is legitimately a horror novel through and through, with varied and gruesome kills and creepy scenes.

My only criticisms, and these are easily fixable with more writing practice, is that the dialogue, while often realistic, sometimes devolved into "nobody talks like that" melodrama. Also, the story lacked some emotional resonance, and the 'big reveal" fell flat for me-it wound up being a non-event; both of these issues can be solved with more character and plot development. There was nothing leading into the big twist that gave the reveal the punch it needed. .
That said, I only wish I could write something this good as a debut novel. Well done!

This was fun

This is a great story. The only thing I would change is to flesh out the relationships of the kids a little more in the beginning in order to get the listener to care more. It does not detract from the story and overall it is a solid and fun listen.

Well Done!

Well done horror story! Quite a bit of gore to be sure, but a good solid story behind it. Add a good portion of well developed characters and this becomes a very good listen. While the story is beyond realistic, as it is meant to be, there is enough realism here to make it seem pretty real anyway! Good narration.

I got this audiobook from Audible as a daily deal for under $2.00 (I think), and I feel, after listening, that I came away with a very good bargain! ☺️

So much fun!

This was a fun listen and overall great story. It reminded me of Stranger Things with its backstories about friendship and character development. While the story itself centered on young people, the gore and body horror was not for the faint of heart. I loved it. The 90s nostalgia was amazing and fit perfectly into the feeling of this book. I really enjoyed this book!